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Abstract: Objective: Induction Therapy (IT) before surgery emerged as a widely used strategy for IIIAN2 and selected IIIB NSCLC patients. However, IT is associated with a possible increase in postoperative complications. Consequently, selection of patients with the best chances to benefit from combined treatment is mandatory. Methods: Study recorded demographics, treatment and outcome of consecutive patients treated with IT plus surgery for IIIAN2 or IIIB NSCLC. Survival was analysed by Kaplan–Meier and prognostic factors were analysed by log-rank and Cox regression. Results: From 1993 to 2003, 155 patients (IIIAN2=95/IIIB=60) were treated. Complete resection was associated with a significant prolonged median survival both for IIIAN2 (20 vs 16 months, P=0.05) and IIIB (20 vs 15 months, P=0.02) patients. A lower risk of death for IIIAN2 patients was independently associated with postoperative mediastinal lymph node clearance (HR=0.45, 95%CI [0.25–0.81], P=0.009) and absence of postoperative complication (HR=0.54, 95%CI [0.31–0.93], P=0.02). Absence of blood vessel invasion only was identified as an independent predictor of a lower risk of death (HR=0.27, 95%CI [0.12–0.59], P=0.01) for stage IIIB patients. Conclusions: Besides similarities as the role of a complete R0 resection, treatment-related factors influence outcome of IIIAN2 patients while disease-related factors prevail on survival of IIIB patients, in whom the benefit of IT is unclear. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: To assess the therapeutic effect of the extent of lymph node dissection performed in patients with a stage pI non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: We analysed data on 465 patients with stage I NSCLC who were treated with surgical resection and some form of lymph node sampling. The median number of lymph node sampled was 10 and the median number of ipsilateral mediastinal lymph node stations sampled was two. We chose to define a procedure that harvested 10 or more lymph nodes and sampled two or more ipsilateral mediastinal stations as a lymphadenectomy, by contrast with sampling when one or both criteria were not satisfied. The effect of the surgical techniques: lymph node sampling (LS; n=207) vs. lymphadenectomy (LA; n=258) on 30-day mortality and overall survival were investigated. Results: A total of 6244 lymph nodes was examined, including 4306 mediastinal lymph nodes. The mean (±SD) numbers of removed lymph nodes were 7±6.1 per patient following LS vs.18.6±9.3 following LA (P=0.001). An average mean of 1±0.90 mediastinal lymph node station per patient was sampled following LS vs. 2.7±0.8 following LA (P<10−6). Overall 30-day mortality rates were 2.4 and 3.1%, respectively. LA was disclosed as a favourable prognosticator at multivariate analysis (Hazard Risk: 1.43; 95% Confidence Interval: 1.00–2.04; P=0.048), together with younger patient age, absence of blood vessels invasion, and smaller tumour size. Conclusions: Importance of lymph node dissection affects patients outcome, while it does not enhance the operative mortality. A minimum of 10 lymph nodes assessed, and two mediastinal stations sampled are suggested as possible pragmatic markers of the quality of lymphadenectomy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: To assess the role of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) in the management of a recurrent primary spontaneous pneumothorax after a prior talc pleurodesis. Methods: From 1996 to 2002, we retrospectively reviewed all patients who were treated for a recurrent primary spontaneous pneumothorax after a previous talc pleurodesis. Data on the talc procedure and the recurrent pneumothorax, delay between both, and operative features were studied. Conversion rate to a thoracotomy and postoperative complications as well as long-term outcome were reported. Results: We collected 39 patients (28 male) with a median age of 25 years (15–41 years). The initial procedure consisted of thoracoscopic talc poudrage in all cases. The median delay between the talc procedure and the recurrence was 23 months [10 days–13 years]. Size of recurrence involved 10–80% of the hemithorax. The VATS procedure was successfully achieved in 27 patients (69%) while 12 required conversion to a thoracotomy. The main cause for conversion was the presence of dense pleural adhesion at the mediastinal part of the pleural cavity. Postoperative morbidity was limited to pleural complications in the VATS group (n=6, 22%). Median follow-up was 26 months [10–38 months]. One patient treated by VATS developed a partial recurrent pneumothorax at 12 months with a favorable outcome without further surgery. Conclusions: Feasibility, safety and efficacy of VATS for management of recurrent primary spontaneous pneumothorax following thoracoscopic talc poudrage are strongly suggested. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]